The Best Sigma Lenses for Sony a6500 (updated for 2024)
While many people default to buying Sony lenses with their Sony a6500, you don’t absolutely have to.
There are several other brands that produce high-quality lenses for this camera: namely Sigma.
In this guide we’ll see the best Sigma lenses for Sony a6500; a perfect fit for your camera, with excellent performance!
No Time to Waste? Here’s My #1 Favorite!
- Excellent image quality
- Fast f/1.4 lens
- Great value for money
The Best Sigma Lenses for a6500 – Comparison Table
Not sure the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 is the right pick for you?
Don’t fret; have a look at the comparison table below, listing the 3 lenses I consider to be the best Sigma lenses for a6500.
Still unsure which one to pick? Check out this Youtube video comparing the 3!
Can I Use Sigma Lens on Sony a6500?
Yes you can! Sigma has created many lenses specifically for Sony cameras, and any Sigma lens made for “Sony E-mount” will fit the Sony a6500.
To get lenses specifically made for the APS-C format of the a6500, you need to look for “DC” lenses.
Or you can also use full-frame Sigma lenses, named “DG” lenses; however a crop factor will be applied when using these full-frame lenses on the Sony a6500 (for example the Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG DN will become a 127.5mm equivalent).
The main con of all these Sigma lenses is the lack of image stabilization. This is annoying if you have a Sony camera with no built-in image stabilization, like the a600, a6100, a6300 or a6400. But fortunately for you, if you’re here it probably means you have the Sony a6500, which does have image stabilization built in camera!
Product Reviews – The Best Sigma Lenses for Sony a6500
I’ve selected the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 as my favorite, but this purely comes down to personal choice.
In fact, the 3 best Sigma lenses for Sony a6500 are all from the same series: the Contemporary line from Sigma.
The only difference between these lenses is their focal length.
Which one is the best for you will depend on what you’re shooting the most.
🥇 Best Sigma Lens #1: Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN
🥈 Best Sigma Lens #2: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN
🥉 Best Sigma Lens #3: Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN
Let’s see the reviews!
Best Sigma Lens #1: Sony a6500 Sigma 16mm 1.4 DC DN
- Compatible with Sony E mount cameras
- Perfect for nature & event photography
- Large f/1.4 aperture for superb lowlight performance
Focal length: 16mm
Aperture range: f/1.4 to f/16
Weight: 405g (0.89 lbs)
Size (Ø x L): 72x92mm (2.84×3.63″)
Filter size: 67mm
Format: crop
Autofocus: yes
Image stabilization: no
Let’s start things off with my personal favorite Sigma lens for Sony a6500; Sigma 16mm 1.4 DC DN lens.
As stated above, the only difference between the 3 Sigma DC DN lenses is their focal length. This one is the wide-angle version, at 16mm. It’s perfect for landscape & architecture photography, and the focal length I use the most.
Overall it’s a wonderful lens; but how does it compare to other wide-angle lenses options for Sony a6500?
It has better image quality (sharpness is downright excellent), it’s faster with the f/1.4 max aperture, and it’s only half the price of most good wide-angle lenses!
However there are a few cons too: it’s a heavy & bulky lens (in fact the heaviest & bulkiest out of the best wide-angle options), and finally it’s a prime lens which means you can’t zoom in/zoom out.
Excellent image quality
Fast f/1.4 lens
Great value for money
Heavy & bulky
No zoom
👉 See price + reviews on Amazon or on B&H Photo
Best Sigma Lens #2: Sony a6500 Sigma 30mm 1.4 DC DN
- SONY E-mount
- With nine rounded aperture blades, a stepping ring motor, and compact design
- Perfect paring of high performance and pricing, Contemporary compactness, Art line Image Quality
Focal length: 30mm
Aperture range: f/1.4 to f/16
Weight: 265g (0.58 lbs)
Size (Ø x L): 65x73mm (2.55×2.89″)
Filter size: 52mm
Format: crop
Autofocus: yes
Image stabilization: no
Second up on the list is the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN, which is in fact my recommended budget pick for the Sony a6500.
If you were to get only 1 lens, this is probably the best choice. The 30mm (45mm full-frame equivalent) is pretty versatile, and will be great for a wide variety of situations (landscape, street, portrait, …).
On top of its very competitive price, this Sigma 30mm lens has excellent image quality and opens up to f/1.4, perfect for shooting in low-light situations too.
The cons are the same than the other 2 DC DC Sigma lenses: you can’t zoom in/zoom out.
Excellent image quality
Fast f/1.4 lens
Excellent value for money
No zoom
👉 See price + reviews on Amazon or on B&H Photo
Best Sigma Lens #3: Sony a6500 Sigma 56mm 1.4 DC DN
- Featuring compact design, Light weight and outstanding image quality offered in sigma’s...
- N addition, this lens is characterized by smooth and quiet autofocus ideal for video shooting....
- By using the face recognition or eye AF functions of the camera, focus Will continuously be on the...
Focal length: 56mm
Aperture range: f/1.4 to f/16
Weight: 280g (0.62 lbs)
Size (Ø x L): 67x59mm (2.62×2.34″)
Filter size: 55mm
Format: crop
Autofocus: yes
Image stabilization: no
And finally, the last of our best Sigma lenses for the Sony a6500: the Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN.
This one has a 56mm focal range (84mm full-frame equivalent), and to me that’s perfect for portraits. In fact, I’ve rated this lens as the #1 best portrait lens for Sony a6500.
Like the other 2 versions, this Sony a6500 Sigma lens has excellent image quality. The f/1.4 max aperture is perfect for portrait, and the lens has a smooth & creamy bokeh that makes for great backgrounds in your portrait shots. I also like how compact this lens is, it’s even smaller than the 30mm version.
As far as cons go, you’ve probably guessed them by now: no zoom.
Excellent image quality
Fast f/1.4 lens
Compact
No zoom
👉 See price + reviews on Amazon or on B&H Photo
Final Thoughts
So there you have them all, the very best Sigma lenses for Sony a6500.
They’re all part of the same series, the Contemporary DC DN line from Sigma. All 3 lenses have exceptional image quality, a max aperture of f/1.4 (only lenses for Sony a6500 to open this wide), and they’re affordable compared to the Sony lenses.
My personal favorite is the Sigma 16mm f/1.4 DC DN, but simply because I’m a landscape photographer at heart. They’re all the same build & quality, and whether you choose the 16mm, 30mm or 56mm will come down to personal preference.
